Partitioned receptacle.



A. H. GIBSON.

PARTITIONED RECEPTACLE.

APPLICATION HLED JUNE 2.1913.

1 1M635, Patented June 29, 1915.

ALFRED HERBERT GIBSON, HARBOGATE, ENGLAND.

PAB-TITIONED BECEIPTACLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June as, tars.

Application filed June 2, 1918. Serial No. 771,220.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED HERBERT GmsoN, a subject of King George V of Great Britain, residing at Harrogate, in the county of York, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Partitioned Receptacles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the division and subdivision into sections or compartments of variable dimensions of drawers, boxes, cabinets, shelving and other receptacles, hereinafter referred to as drawers and boxes. The invention consists broadly, irrespective of the size .of the drawer or box, in making provision for variable division and subdivision into, and for inclosing, compartments of rectangular areas, the four sides of which are all variable in length by multiples of a convenient standard unit dimension, the engagement of parts in the required multiple unit positions being, on account of cheapness of production, preferably effected by a system of slots of any suitable section or shape of simple or compound nature, the invention consequently involving standardization of parts? When means of engagement other than slots are employed the parts are brought into positions identical with those as if slots were present and as hereinafter set forth.

For dividing and subdividing a standard ized rectangle there are provided movable partitions of standardized lengths which are made in lengths differing by an equal increment, such increment being equal to the standard of measurement as hereinafter defined and which partitions are also made in various heights; The partitionsare preferably of two classes, the main or primary partitions being generally of thicker material than the secondary or slab like partitions, and the rimary partitions being also usable without the secondary partitions.

The standardization of parts, coupled with the multiple unit variability principle, permits of the same standardized artitions being used in drawers or boxes 0 any and various dimensions provided a rectangle of any one of a series of like standardization 1s drawer or box. The invention consequently gives great and general utility. Cheapness of production is also another important consequence of the standardization of parts the slotmay first created within, or formed by, the

owing to large quantities ofthe same dimensions being manufactured at one time.

There might be employed two or more different units or standards, provided all the units were multiples of the smallest unit employed. Such an arrangement would, however, be of doubtful advantage because the smallest unit might just as well be adopted as the standard unit.

T ough the invention makes provision for the use of movable partitions of standardized various lengths in a drawer or box, it willbe-obvious that in some drawers or boxes some or all of the partitions in use therein may happen to be of equal length, but partitions of other equal lengths or of other various lengths provided they are of thesame standardization could at any time be inserted if desired. The capability, as herein set forth, of creating compartments the four sides of which may vary by multiples of a standard unit dimension, confers upon the user the power to divide and subdivide a drawer diate convenience or present requirements, which may vary from time totime, the variation possible in any direction being necessarily limited to multiples of the said standard unit dimension.

- In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a receptacle constructed according to this or box to suit his immeinvention. Fig. 2 is also a plan view of a receptacle, but shows a modification inthe arrangement of its partitions.

In the embodiments illustrated, the various parts are brought into engagement at ,the required multiple unit positions .by a

suitable system of slots, of the same depth, equally spaced apart, with the exceptions hereinafter stated, formed in the material of the engaging parts, or consisting of mov able single slotted members adapted for en gagement at the required multiple unit positions, the slots being vertically formed to the mouth of the receptacle. The shape of the slots is preferably rectan ar, but angular, dovetail or other suita 1e shape may be employed if desired. When a dovetail slot system'is used the wider part of be either at the mouth or at the bottom of the slot.

The distance between the centers or midstandard of measurement adopted or the standard unit dimension, and the distance between the near edges of adjacent slots is termed the fixed or standard distance between the slots. The standard of measurement is therefore equivalent to the fixed or standard distance between the slots plus the width of a slot at its mouth, and owing to the thickness of material is greater than the length of a compartment side of unit length.

Slots 2 are formed in the standardized rectangle 1 at any suitable equal distances apart, and similar slots 4 are formed at like distances apart on one or both sides of the primary partitions 3. If the mouths of the slots be of the same width as the thickness of the material of the slotted partitions, the eight corner slots of the standardized rectangle are formed at the same distance from their respective corners as the fixed distance between the other slots, and the slots nearest to the ends of the slotted partitions 3 are formed also at the same fixed distance from the ends thereof plus allowance for the engaging portion. VWaen partitions are placed in position they therefore always run parallel to the front and back, or to the sides of the rectangle. If the mouths of the slots are of less width than the thickness of theumaterial of the slotted partitions 3, and such partitions are to be capable .of running in both directions in the rectangle 1, and have ordinary tenons 5 with an equal shoulder 5' at each side thereof, or tapering ends 3, as shown in Fig. 1, the eight corner slots-2 are formed at a distance from their respective corners equal to the fixed distance between the other slots less the horizontal width of the shoulder of the tenon, or if the partitions have tapering ends, as shown at 3, then as if a tenon and shoulders were present. The slots 4' nearest, to the ends of the slotted partitions 3 are formed also at the same lesser distance from the shoulder of the tenon, and consequently when partitions are placed in position they run parallel to the front and back, the rectangle. The 'slab partitions are represented by 6.

If,-with the same type of tenon, and as shown in Fig. 2, it is not necessary for the tenon at each end adapted to nearest the end of a or to the sides, of

slotted partitions 3 to be capable of running in both directions in the rectangle 1, the end slots 4 of the slotted partitions may be formed at the same distance from the shoulders of the tenons as the fixed distance between the other slots, and, if so formed, four corner and opposite slots 2' of the rectangle are also formed at the same fixed distance from the respective corners, the remaining four corner slots 2 being formed at the aforementioned lesser distance from the corners. The use of slab partitions 6 along with slotted partitions 3 is always necessary to obtain multiple unit variability in all directions when slotted partitions are only capable of running in one direction.

The horizontal width of a shoulder of a tenon at the ends of a slotted partition is not necessarily equal to the depth of a slot.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is The combination with a rectangular receptacle, having all its four inner sides formed or provided with slots spaced at equal distances apart with the exception of the slots nearest the corners which said slots are placed at distances from the corners less than the standard distance between the near edges of a pair of the other slots: of removable partitions of standard lengths having a fit the slots in the drawer or cabinet, an equal shoulder on each side of saidtenon, and slots in. both sides of said partitions, corresponding in spacing and formation to the .slots in the sides of the drawer or cabinet, the slots partition being formed at a distance from the shoulder, measured to the near edge of the slot, equal to the standard distance between the other slots less the horizontal width of the shoulder.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in-the presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED HERBERT GIBSON.

Witnesses:

THOMAS H. BARRoM, FRANK LEWIN. 

